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“Okay, he’s a fucking idiot.”
Marc looked at Riley who still sat on the floor, head on his knees. “Yeah, he is. So what do we do now?”
“I don’t know, but we have to do something.”
Marc couldn’t believe Kathryn didn’t have a plan. Thorne’s insanity had obviously thrown her as much as it had Marc. “Part of me wants to say I’m going to help Riley pack and move him in with me, but I know Thorne loves him. He better be damn glad I do because right now I’m struggling with whether I can forgive him.”
“I think he’s realized what he’s done. The wedding has him all fucked up, and he won’t talk to Riley about it. He’s hurting, but what he did to Riley is inexcusable.”
“Riley is struggling with all the wedding shit too. We’ve got to get them to fucking communicate.”
“But the wedding was Riley’s idea. I thought he was happy about it.”
Marc looked out at the city, wishing he had an easy answer. “Sometimes the fantasy and the reality aren’t the same.”
“God knows that’s true.”
It still surprised him how much he and Kathryn thought alike. “Sometimes I think it’s a shame you’re married and I’m gay.”
“That would make for a very interesting situation,” she said, and they both laughed. It felt good to let go of some of his tension.
A plan began to form in Marc’s mind. “I think I know how we can force them to talk to each other.”
“How?”
“Riley rented a cabin at the lake for the weekend. He was going to surprise Thorne and have them spend the weekend together, without any wedding or bakery planning.”
“Oh fuck, that makes this all so much worse. Why is my brother so stupid?”
“I think Riley asks that a lot.”
“I’m sure he does,” Kathryn said.
“But Riley isn’t perfect either. He refuses to talk to Thorne honestly about this wedding.”
“They need to be locked in a room together.”
“Or a cabin?”
“Oh… Yes, I see. Would Riley agree to that?”
Marc looked back at his friend. He definitely wouldn’t, but sometimes you have to do what’s right for a friend whether they agreed or not. “No, but I have a plan anyway. Do you think you can convince Thorne to spend a few days sailing? Tell him he needs to give Riley some space.”
“It won’t be easy, but yes.”
“I’ll drive Riley out to the lake, saying he needs to get out of the city and we might as well use the cabin since it’s paid for.”
“I’ll bring Thorne, pretending I’ve rented the cabin, and then we’ll leave them.”
Riley was going to kill him. “Yes. Without a car.”
“Perfect.” He could hear the evil glee in Kathryn’s voice.
“I’m going to get Riley out of here as soon as I can. You can bring Thorne later tonight or tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll gauge what would be best when I make the suggestion. Text me the address when you’re there.”
Was he doing the right thing? “They’re going to hate us.”
“Only until they see sense.”
Marc ended the call and stepped back into the apartment. Riley still hadn’t moved.
“We’re getting out of here,” he announced.
“But I thought—”
“Not because Thorne ordered us to; because you need it. You rented a cabin, right? Let’s use it.”
“Oh, fuck. I forgot about the cabin. I’ll still be charged if I cancel it now.”
“Then let’s go use it.”
Riley shook his head. “I’ll just think about Thorne.”
“Riley—”
“He thinks I cheated.”
Poor Riley, he looked so hurt and confused. Marc sat down next to him and rubbed his back. “I’m not sure he still does.”
Riley snorted. “He sure as fuck hasn’t called to apologize, has he?”
“No. It’s Thorne. Do you really think he’s going to?”
“Hell no. He always has to be right, but this time he’s fucking wrong, and I deserve an apology.”
“You do, but—”
Riley pulled away from Marc. “Why the fuck are you defending him?”
“Because you love him.”
“Do I?”
Marc couldn’t believe Riley was questioning it, even as awful as Thorne had been. “Don’t you dare say you don’t, not when you’re angry like this.”
“How could he think I’d…?”
“Riley, it really would’ve looked like we were about to fuck to someone who didn’t know how we are with each other.”
“But Thorne does know, and he trusts me. At least I thought he did.”
“Do you trust him that much? If you walked in on him and me like that, what would you think?”
“You two don’t have the same kind of relationship.”
This was true, but he still thought Riley might be getting his point. “Thorne’s never seen us like that.”
Riley looked like Marc had punched him. “So you’re saying I’m overreacting?”
Marc held his hands up in surrender. “No, Riley. It was all I could do not to beat him senseless. He deserved it, and he’s going to need to grovel before you even start to work things out, but that doesn’t mean things are over.”
